How to become a nurse anesthetist?

Nurse anesthetists work with doctors providing anesthesia to patients. They are involved in patient care before, during and after surgery, as well as in sedation, and pain management.

Nurse anesthetists work long hours and require specialist training to qualify. The necessary training varies slightly from country to country, but generally follows the same pattern. In terms of job opportunities, nurse anesthetists can work in a variety of different settings from hospital operating rooms to dental offices and military medical facilities.

Qualifications

Before specialising in anesthesiology, all nurse anesthetists must complete a general nursing undergraduate degree. To be accepted onto one of these programs, having an educational background in science subjects such as biology, chemistry, and math can be very useful. When completing a nursing degree there is a lot of opportunity to gain practical experience. It can be useful to tailor this towards anesthesia in order to gain valuable experience for a career in nurse anesthesiology. This experience is useful when applying to postgraduate training programs in anesthesiology.

After completing a nursing degree, it is necessary to complete a master’s degree in nurse anesthesia. This typically lasts between 2 and 3 years. As well as a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, all nurse anesthetists must apply for and gain a registered nursing license (RN license). In the USA, it is also essential to complete the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nursing Anesthetists exam, the CRNA exam. Nurse anesthetists need at least 1 year of experience in an acute care unit, such as an emergency room.

Jobs

Nurse anesthetists are not restricted to working in hospitals. As anesthesia is such an important and widely needed specialisation, nurse anesthetists can work in a wide variety of departments and settings. These include:

Hospital operating rooms

Delivery units

Emergency rooms

Critical and intensive care units

Outpatient centers

Dentistry

Ophthalmology

Plastic surgery

Pain management clinics

Military and government medical facilities

Personal Qualities

Nurse anesthetists work in a variety of situations that can be highly stressful. Therefore, the following personal skills can be very useful:

Good communication skills

Staying calm in emergency situations

Working well under pressure

Attention to detail, as the job involves administering specific doses

Able to work long hours - the nature of being an anesthetist means that you will work with patients before, during and after surgeries, meaning that the day can be long

Able to work independently, often nurse anesthetists work on their own

Teamwork: nurse anesthetists have to work with anesthetists, physicians, and surgeons

Clinical Skills

As well as personal skills, nurse anesthetists must be comfortable with needles and have a good grasp of the equipment used to administer anesthesia and monitor patients. Necessary clinical skills required are grounded in Pharmacology, Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Dosage Calculation. These types of skills include:

Preparing solutions of drugs

Inserting intravenous lines for drug administration

Inserting breathing devices into the windpipe

Using mechanical ventilation

Using cardiac monitors and anesthesia machines

Carrying out epidurals and other types of anesthesia, such as nerve blocks

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